The Nightmare
by Jazabeth
Summary: My alternative season 5 finale. the HAPPY ENDING I wanted and needed for Jack and Elizabeth. Set AFTER the finale episode, Jack is back... but how? read and see :)


**It still incorporates the final episode but (although everyone says never make it "and it was all a dream" scenario) I made it end HAPPILY with Jack and Elizabeth together... I felt better after writing this so maybe it'll make someone else feel better reading it. Enjoy and let me know your thoughts :)**

A scream broke the silence of the night as Elizabeth sat up in bed, eyes wide with pain, face wet with tears. She sobbed uncontrollably looking around the dark room, the only light was the cold moonlight through curtains when they sporadically moved and let the eerie light in. She sat there, her body wracked by sobs, glistening tears streaming down her face.

"Jack!" She cried out, clutching the empty bed beside her, she lay down, again rubbing her hand where Jack had laid with her after their wedding. She sobbed into the blanket crying out in a broken voice,

"No no no no! Jack! Jack please come back to me!" over and over.

She felt a weight on the bed,

"Abigail, I can't do it!" Elizabeth squeezed her eyes shut to help relieve the pain of reality.

She knew what Jack would do if he were here, he would pull her into his arms, stroke her hair, murmur softly to her that it would be alright...

"Elizabeth, my poor darling! I'm here. I'll look after you my love".

"Jack!" Elizabeth opened her eyes, and jumped out of Jack's arms in one startled movement. "no! no no no no! You're dead! You've been dead for weeks! The mountie came and... and... There was a funeral! I got given your horse! You're _dead!"_ she frantically looked around for something to tell her what was real and what wasn't "You're a figment of my imagination, I've gone _insane_ from grief!"

Jack stared at his wife, horrified by her words, the pain etched on his darling's face caused concerned tears to spring to his own eyes. He ran to where she now stood, her hands covering her eyes. He wrapped her in a hug, kissing the top of her head.

"My poor poor darling no! You have had a nightmare is all! I am not dead! See?" He had kissed her cheek after each statement but on the last statement he held her cheeks in his hands and kissed her gently on the lips. He could taste the tears that had ran down her face, and he deepened his kiss knowing Elizabeth was feeling a deep and very real pain of loss.

"Jack? you're really alive?'

"Yes darling! I got back from my post late last night and crept in. I've been downstairs unpacking and... getting a few things organised."

"But..." Her lips trembled "it all seemed so real." Her voice was a broken whisper, her body still shaking from pain. "I felt it all, i was numb with pain. I saw my parents, I was at your funeral... _you were dead Jack!_ they said there was a landslide and you saved two Mounties but you lost your own life".

Jack's arms tightened around her, his hand caressed her back, soothing her trembling body as if she was a child,

"I am so sorry Elizabeth! I didn't know just _how much_ I put you through whenever I leave. You are my everything and i am so sorry i caused you pain, whether it be in our goodbyes or in the nightmares that wrack your sleep". She nuzzled her face into his shirt, actually _smelling_ him to prove to herself he was alive. They stayed standing for some time, Jack kissing her head at times, murmuring how much he loved her, and how sorry he was to have left. After a while Elizabeth stopped shaking and raised her face to his,

"I love you." was all she said but Jack knew the unspoken depth of her love, how could he not? It was riddled through the tears that stained her face, the vulnerability of her posture and could be heard in her broken cries that still echoed through his mind. He picked her up in his arms, kissing her as he walked to their bed. He lay her down, pulling her into his arms as he lay in the bed. She kissed his cheek, her hand still clutching the chest of his shirt like she would never let go. He kissed her once more, deeply, sensuously, lovingly, before pulling her body even closer, wrapping her in his arms. And so she fell asleep again, this time filled with peaceful and beautiful dreams with her hand constantly on his chest, his heartbeat singing a gentle lullaby all night.

Jack lay awake looking up at the ceiling, how often did Elizabeth wake like that when he was away? How many times did she cry out for him and never have him ready to sooth her? How could he be easy knowing that every goodbye meant weeks of torment for Elizabeth.

Elizabeth stirred and finally released Jack's shirt from her clasp. Jack took the opportunity to lighten the mood,

"And so the fair shirt was released from the grip that had imprisoned it for so long a time."

Elizabeth smacked his chest drowsily, before wrapping her arm around his chest.

"But your poor self is not to receive such a fate. Imprisonment for ever!" She smiled, nuzzling his shoulder with her head.

"I'm completely happy with that fate." Jack told her, "Although, if the imprisonment position could be changed just a little" he moved so he was now facing her, "it would mean i can kiss my sweet entrapper." Before he could kiss her, she kissed him.

"I'm so happy you're home! and Im sorry about last night." She said when the kiss ended, "I don't know what came over me. It all just seemed so real. _Too_ real." Jack looked at her thoughtfully,

"No need to apologize, it most certainly isn't your fault. It's mine." Elizabeth placed her hand on his cheek, shaking her head.

"No! do not say that. I admit it was hard without you here, especially so soon after our wedding, but do not worry and think that i had nightmares like this every night. For the most part i was fine. I think, perhaps last night seemed so real because of your last letter, you mentioned a landslide on one of the patrols with your trainee Mounties. Everything just seemed to fit into place". Jack nodded slowly, his face still showing concern. "And _you're home!_ for how long? Is your assignment over? or is this just a quick visit?" he noticed her voice sadden at the thought of it just being a quick visit.

"I'm home. And this time it should be for a good long while, maybe even years." Elizabeth's face beamed with radiant happiness at that. "Come," Jack said, sitting up in bed, "I have a surprise for your downstairs."

Elizabeth gasped as Jack lead her down the stairs, there were flowers everywhere, and paper... there were pieces of paper stuck to the walls and resting on the table, some small some large. She walked around the room in awe, every single piece of paper held a sketch of _her!_ Some were ones of just her, some her and Jack, some were exact moments they had shared, memories sketched onto paper to be captured forever. There was one of her in the veil from their wedding day, there was one of them both dancing, but one in particular caught her attention, she picked it up and studied it.

"Our last night together. When I woke up on the last morning of our honeymoon and you were still asleep I spent some time committing every detail to memory. You looked so beautiful and peaceful i knew that if couldn't wake up to that sight for the next few months i would have to commit it to memory and draw it."

"Oh, Jack... this is so romantic!" Tears sprung to her eyes, and she laughed wiping them away."I'm a mess this morning!" She glanced down at the sketch again, seeing her own face resting on a pillow, her mouth in a soft contented curve, her hair, accurately disarrayed around her head, and her left head cradling her chin, the new wedding band in full display.

Jack came up behind her and slid his arms around her waist,

"This is what I set up when I came in last night, though looking back now I wish I'd just walked straight up and taken you in my arms to stop the nightmares".

"No, this is perfect. I wouldn't change any of it, the nightmare just made me realise how lucky we are." She leaned her head back against his shoulder, shutting her eyes and, like Jack, committed every small detail about this moment to memory.


End file.
